Upwardly acting door assemblies provided with weather seals



June 3, 1958 E. L. STROUP 2,837,151

UPWARDLY ACTING DOOR ASSEMBLIES PROVIDED WITH WEATHER SEALS Filed Nov. 21, 1955 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 June 3, 1958 STROUP 2,837,151

UPWARDLY ACTING DOOR ASSEMBLIES PROVIDED WITH WEATHER SEALS Filed Nov. 21, 1955 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVEN TOR.

[4/7 1. /Wdqd E155- @MFM UPWARDLY ACTING DOOR ASSEMBLIES PROVIDED WITH WEATHER SEALS Earl-L. Stroup, Hartford City, Ind, assignor to Overhead Door Corporation, Hartford City, Ind.

Application November 21, 1955, Serial No. 548,163

9 Claims. (Cl. 160-40) This invention relates to upwardly acting door assemblies provided with weather seals and one which is well adapted for use in trailers, trucks, refrigerator cars and the like.

The main objects of this invention are:

First, to provide an upwardly acting door assembly which is adapted for embodiment in trailers, trucks, refrigerator cars and the like which permits free movement of the door to and from closed position and at the same time is provided with an effective sealing means when the door is closed.

Second, to provide a structure embodying these advantages in which there is very little wear on the seal members asa result of use inasmuch as there is no sliding engagement of the seal members with moving'closure parts.

Third, to provide a closure assembly having these' advantages in which the side seals can be quickly and easily adjusted to and from sealing position.

Fourth, to provide an upwardly acting door assembly in which the door comprises a plurality of hingedly connected sections associated with tracks comprising vertical, horizontal and curved intermediate sections with side seal members common to all the sections when the door'is in closed position, the sealing means permitting free hing ing movement of the sections relative to, each other when the sealing means is adjusted to nonsealing position in which position the doors'may be freely adjusted without impedance by the seal means or wear onthe seal means.

Objects relating to details and economies of theinvention will appear from the description to follow. The in vention is defined and pointed out in the claims.

A preferred embodiment of the invention is" illustrated in the accompanying drawing,v in which:

Fig. l is a transverse sectional view through a truck or the like provided with a door assembly embodying the invention.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged fragmentary view in section on a line' corresponding to line 22'of Fig. 1.

Fig; 3 is an enlarged fragmentary view with thedoor omitted showing the relation of one of the seal members to the sideframe member of the door.

Fig. 4 is an enlarged fragmentaryview partially in section' on a line corresponding to line 4'4 of Fig. 3 with the'seal member in retracted" position.

Fig. 5 isa fragmentary sectional view partially, in sec tion corresponding to that of Fig. 4 with the seal member insealing or door engaging position.

Fig, G is an enlarged fragmentary view on a line corresponding to line 6-6 of 'Fig. 7. 1

Fig. 7 is a fragmentary view on-a line corresponding to line'7-7 of Fig. 6. v

Fig. 8 is a fragmentary view showing therelation of the vertical and'horizontal portions of thetra'ck;

' The accompanying drawing illustrates the invention as embodied in a truck or trailer provided with an up-' wardly acting door of the sectional type, that" is, comprisinga plurality of hingedly connected sections 1; the hinges being conventionallyillustrated"at 2; These'sec tates Paten 0 a Patented June 3,v 1958 tions are desirably formed of metal and may be those illustrated in the application for Letters Patent of Earl Stroup, Serial No. 525,160, filed July 29, 1955, and comprise outer sheet metal panels 3, inner panels 4 with reinforcing'members 5 disposed between the panels. However, as the structure of the door sections forms no part of this invention they are not further illustrated or de scribed. A g

In the accompanying drawing 6 represents the side walls of the structure, 7 the top and 8 the'floor. These parts are also conventionally shown as they form no part of the present invention. 7

The door opening is defined by side frame members 9,, top frame member 10 and the bottom of the truck body which in this embodiment constitutes the sill of the door. The track comprises the upright sections 11, horizontal sections 12 and curved intermediate connecting sections 13. Each door section is provided with a track engaging roller 14.

The counterbalancing shaft15 is mounted above the door opening and is provided with drums 16 for the cable 17. The shaft 15 is provided with a counterbalancing spring 18, the lower ends of the cables are secured to the lower section of the door by means of the anchoring plates 19.

Applicant is aware that mobile'vehicles such as trucks, trailers, vans and the like have been equipped with upwardly acting doors of the sectional type. Such mobile vehicles are very commonly operated under conditions where they are subjected to dust, rain and wind and frequently the loads or contents of the vehicle are greatly damaged. To effectively exclude dust, wind and rain applicant provides elongated strip like seals 23 of resilient flexible material. The outer edges of the seal members are secured to the inner sides of the side frame members as shown at 21. In this case, the edges are arranged on the inner sides of the mounting webs 22 of the upright section of the tracks 11. i

n The inner edges of the seal members 2t) are secured to the rockshafts 23 which are disposed vertically in parallel relation to the vertical portions of the tracks and pivotally orrockably supported in the upper and lower bearings 24 and 25 and the intermediate bearings 26. The seal'members are of such width that they are bowed inwardly in all positions of the rockshaft.

. that they will move in proper direction on the adjustment of the rockshaft to adjust the seal members to sealing ing'surfaces' or faces which insures an effective seal between the seal'members for the door.

.In the embodiment illustrated the seal members are at each side of the door and are independently manually operated by means of the hand pieces 28 which are provided with stems 29 disposed through slots 30 in the escutcheons 31. The escutcheons are secured on the outer sidesof the frame sidemeinbers 9. The stems of the hand pieces 28 are connected by the links 34 to the arms;33' on the rockshafts. The slots 30 are horizontally disposed and of such length that when the hand piece is at 'onegendof the slot,;as shown at Fig. 4, the seal memher is fully retracted from the door permitting free operation thereof, that is, without any frictional contact or engagement'with-the seal member.

When the hand piece 28 is at the other end of the slot, as shown in Fig; 5, the seal member is forced into sealing engagement with the door. Notch-like keepers 32 areprovided at'theendsof the slots, the stems 29 being engaged and disengaged from these keepers by a vertical move m'ent' which is permitted" through the connection to the This insures 1 connecting links, as is illustrated in Fig. 6, the connecting a resilient closure plate 333 is mounted on the stern.

This also serves to bias the stem into engagement with the keeper with which it is aligned. The closure member is disposed in an outwardly offset portion 35 of the escutcheon which provides an inwardly facing recess for the member 333.

At the top of the door opening a strip like seal member 36 secured by means of the angled clamping plate 37 so that its inner edge is free and projects to be engaged by the outer side of the upper door section, as is shown in Fig. 2. A bottom seal member 38 is provided, this being secured to the bottom section of the door and provided with an outwardly projecting resilient flexible flange like portion which engages the sill of the door as is "provided when the door is closed. The side seals may be quickly and easily adjusted to scaling position or to "retracted nonsealing position in which position the door may be freely operated, that is, there is no frictional contact of the seals with the door. The top and bottom seals likewise do not add any frictional resistance to the door and they are not subject to substantial wear as a result ofv the operation of the door other than a slight movement to'which they are subjected to provide complete sealing engagement with the associated parts.

I have illustrated and described the invention as embodied in an upwardly acting sectional door for a mobile vehicle. I have not attempted to illustrate or describe various other adaptations or modifications as it is believed this disclosure will enable those skilled in the art to embody or adapt the invention as may be desired.

Having thus described the invention, what is described as new and is desired to be secured by Letters Patent is:

1. An upwardly acting door assembly comprising side frame members, a door comprising a plurality of hingedly connected sections, tracks comprising vertical and horizontal sections and curved intermediate connecting sections therefor, the vertical sections being disposed at the inner sides of the side frame members, said door sections being provided with rollers coacting with said tracks to slidably support the door, vertically disposed elongated resiliently flexible seal members secured along their outer edges to the inner sides of said frame side members, rockshafts disposed vertically at the inner sides of the door frame side members and to which the inner edges of said seal members are secured with the seal members cross-sectionally bowed toward the door in all positions of adjustment of said rockshafts, and means for manually adjusting said rockshafts whereby said seal members may be engaged with the outer side of the door when its is in closed position or disengaged therefrom to permit opening and closing of the door with the seal members in noncontacting relation therewith, said seal members having a plurality of longitudinally extending resiliently flexible fins on said door engaging surfaces.

2. An upwardly acting door assembly comprising side frame members, a door comprising a plurality of hingedly connected sections, tracks comprising vertical and horizontal sections and curved intermediate connecting sections therefor, the vertical sections being disposed at the inner sides of the side frame members, said door sections being provided with rollers coacting with said tracks to slidably support the door, vertically disposed elongated resiliently flexible seal members secured along their outer edges to the inner sides of said frame side members, rockshafts disposed vertically at the inner sides of the door frame side members and to which the inner edges of said seal members are secured with the seal members crosssectio'rially bowed toward the door in all positions of adjustment of said rockshafts, arms on said rockshafts, keeper plates mounted on said frame members and having horizontal slots therein provided with keeper recesses at the ends thereof, hand pieces provided with stems disposed in said slots, and links connecting said stems to said arms on said rockshafts whereby said seal members may be engaged with the outer side of the door when it is in closed position or disengaged therefrom to permit opening and closing of the door with the seal members in noncontacting relation therewith.

3. The combination with a relatively fixed frame member defining one side of an opening, of a closure slidably associated therewith, a resiliently. flexible seal member secured along one edge thereof to the said frame member, a rockshaft disposed in substantially parallel relation to said frame member and to which the other edge of said seal member is secured with the seal member cross-sectionally bowed toward the closure member in all positions of adjustment of the rockshaft, a crank arm on said shaft, an escutcheon plate mounted on said frame members and having a horizontal slot therein with keeper recesses at the ends thereof, a hand piece provided with a stem disposed in said slot to be adjusted longitudinally thereof and selectively engaged with one of the keepers, a link connecting said stem to said arm of said rockshaft whereby said seal membermay be thrustingly engaged with the adjacent side of the closure member or maybe disengaged therefrom to permit adjustment of the closure member.

4. An upwardly acting door assembly comprising door frame side members, a door comprising'a plurality of hingedly connected. sections, tracks with which said sections are slidably associated and comprising vertical sections, vertically disposed elongated flexible strip-like seal members secured along one edge thereof to said door frame side members, vertically disposed rockshafts to which the other edges of said seal members are secured withrthe seal members cross-sectionally bowed toward the door in all positions of adjustment of the rockshaft, and means for manually adjusting said rockshaft whereby the seal members may be engaged with the door when it is in closed position or disengaged therefrom to permit opening and closing of the door with the seal members in noncontacting relation therewith. 5. An upwardly acting door assembly comprising a door frame member, a door slidably associated with said door frame member, an elongated web-like resiliently flexible seal member secured along one edge thereof to said door frame member, a rockshaft to which the other edge of said seal member is secured with the seal member cross-sectionally bowed toward the door in all positions of adjustment of the rockshaft, and means for manually rotatably adjusting said rockshaft whereby the seal member may be engaged with the door when the door is in closed position or disengaged therefrom to permit the opening and closing of the door with the seal member in noncontacting relation thereto.

6. The combination with a relatively fixed frame member, of a closure slidably associated therewith, a resiliently flexible seal member secured along one longitudinal edge thereof to the said frame member, a rockshaft disposed in substantially parallel relation to said frame member and to which the other longitudinal edge of said seal member is secured with the seal member crosssectionally bowed toward the closure member in all positions of adjustment of the rockshaft, and means for manually adjusting said rockshaft whereby said seal member may bethrustingly engaged with the closure member or may be disengaged therefrom to permit adjustment of the closure member with the seal member disengaged therefrom.

7. A weather seal means for a closure assembly comprising a slidably supported closure member, an elongated fiexible weather seal member of substantial width and cross-sectionally bowed fixedly mounted along one edge thereof, and an adjustable support for the other edge of said seal member acting when in one position to thrustingly urge the bowed portion of the seal member against the closure member and when adjusted to another position to disengage the seal member from the closure member permitting the opening and closing of the closure member with the seal member in noncon tacting relation thereto.

8. The combination with a relatively fixed frame member, of a closure slidably associated therewith, a resiliently flexible seal member of bowed cross-section secured along one longitudinal edge thereof to the said frame member, a seal member support adjustably mounted in substantially parallel relation to said frame member and to which the other longitudinal edge of said seal member is secured, and means for adjusting said seal member support whereby said seal member may be thrustingly engaged with the side closure member or may be disengaged therefrom to permit adjustment of the closure member with the seal member disengaged therefrom.

9. A closure assembly comprising a door frame member, a closure slidably associated with said frame member, an elongated web like resiliently flexible seal member of bowed cross-section secured along one edge thereof to said frame member, an adjustable member to which the ranged in said inwardly facing recess and acting to close the slot and also yieldingly hold said adjusting member in its adjusted positions.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,510,287 Mack et al. Sept. 20, 1924 1,865,568 'JohnsOn July 5, 1932 1,985,976 Clark Jan. 1, 1935 2,567,031 Schlytern Sept. 4, 1951 2,705,655 Brown et a1 Apr. 5, 1955 FOREIGN PATENTS 332,093 Great Britain July 17, 1930 

